I watched my mom talk to Alexa like it was the most natural thing in the world. That moment mattered.
I'm not someone who jumps from project to project. I spent 10 years as an employee in my first company, 6 years building my first venture, and 10 years on my second one. I expected it would take months to find my next project.
Sometimes, life has other plans.
I've always been fascinated by history and legacy, collective and individual. The past explains the present. It shapes what comes next. And who better to carry that knowledge than our elders?
After years away from France, I had the privilege of spending quality time with my parents. They're approaching 75. Still healthy, but the road ahead is getting hectic. And when I saw my mom smoothly interact with a voice assistant for basic things, something clicked.
That was the starting point of Agely: a voice-first AI platform designed to help older adults live better at home.
The era of longevity
Here's what most people don't realize: we are entering the era of longevity. By 2050, 30% of the population in wealthy economies will be over 65. That's double what it was in 2000. Societies will have to rethink work, housing, care, and public finance at a massive scale.
The good news: a vibrant ecosystem called the Silver Economy has been growing since 2013 in France. Many players, public and private, are working to improve aging conditions. France has long been associated with high standards of living, a certain art de vivre, and a strong commitment to human rights. France can lead the way about helping people age well. And overwhelmingly, the goal is to help people age at home. It's what 94% of people want. And it costs up to 10 times less than nursing homes or hospitals.
Why the timing is right
We started Agely because we believe the timing is right. 3 things have converged.
The technology is ready. Caring will always be human. But coordination, communication, reminders, prevention, administrative tasks... These can be assisted, even handled, by AI. The capability is here.
Voice has reached a tipping point. For years, the barrier was the interface. Tablets and apps never worked for most seniors. But multimodal LLMs have changed the game. The voice experience today is smooth, natural, and intuitive. We can finally bridge the gap between older adults and the power of technology.
The real challenge is adoption and scale. Building a solution that is user-friendly, non-intrusive, respectful, and valuable is hard. Finding the right distribution model, B2C or B2B2C, is even harder. But that's exactly the kind of challenge that excites us. Our years working with insurers at Zelros gave us deep experience navigating complex go-to-market paths.
Launching a new venture guarantees nothing. We know that.
But we're at least bringing creativity, skills, and dedication to the table.
Because how we care for our elders says everything about the society we want to be.